Let's Relax

Ladies (and gentleman if you're out there!), let's relax shall we?  

I think everyone has their own way to relax.  Some people want a long bath.  Some people curl up with a book.  Some people even go for a long run.  I'll let you guess which one I don't particularly subscribe to.....

So here's a few methods that I employ on the regular to unwind and relax when I'm feeling a bit harried.  

5 Things Making Me Happy This Week

It's actually hot and humid in Chicago this week after nearly a whole summer being mild and I know I have no right to complain but I'm still gonna complain like hell and you can't stop me.  UGH IT'S HOT.  Ok, now happy stuff:

1.  Someone Ate This makes me feel so much better about my own food photography skills.  And just about life in general actually.  No matter how bad it gets, at least my food never looks like this.  

2.  Something about summer has me majorly craving cole slaw and crunchy noodley salads.  This  Crunchy Spicy Peanut Lime Salad is hittin' allllll the right notes.  Wouldn't mind a little chicken up in there too.  

3.  Perhaps the best MAC Collection yet?  If there is any product that I will purchase purely for the packaging, this is it.  And I'm not ashamed to admit that.  

4.  Who knew that so many foods would have so many sexual references?  Say what you want about Buzzfeed, they know how to bring the goods sometimes.  

5.  Blueberry Pie Donuts?!  Uuuggghhhhhhh.  I just want them right now without the effort required to make them.  Life is so unfair! 

What's making you happy this week?

It's Love: Got2b Powder'ful

Mi amour!  got2b Powderful!  You've captured my heart!  I am yours!  

Have I sufficiently creeped you out?  

Fresh Corn Tortillas

Oh oh baby, things are getting REAL in the kitchen lately.  

I've had a desire lately to make basic items that can be easily purchased in the store.  I'm convinced homemade versions are fantastically better and so far, my theory is proving true.  

I've also had a desire lately to make insane elaborate cakes but I suppose we'll cover that in another post.  

The Weekly Manicure #4: China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy

We've had quite the mild summer in Chicago this year (and I'm not complaining about it), and as a result I haven't been choosing my usual obnoxious neon nail polish quite as much.  After having a bit of a rummage through my nail polish collection, I decided to find the brightest neon I own and the winner was China Glaze's Flip Flop Fantasy.  It's a super bright peachy pink that seems like it practically glows in the bottle.  

While the color is fabulous, the longevity is so-so.  Most neon polishes tend to have a matte finish and most matte finishes chip a bit easier than other lacquer-y type finishes.  Even with using a base and top coat, I still only get a few days wear out of this.  However, I haven't found any other neon finishes that can really hold up to the wear anyway so I'll take what I can get.  

What's on your nails this week?

6 Things Making Me Happy This Week

The weather in Chicago has been nearly perfection the last few days (aka it feels like fall) and I've got a mug of chamomile tea by my side.  Oh, and FRIDAY.  

1.  This Blackberry Jam Donut Bundt Cake.  Donut!  Bundt!  I mean, duh, why hasn't this been thought of before?  Anything bathed in butter and coated in cinnamon and sugar is a sure win.  

2.  This is real?!  Wanna know what's even better though? I'll be able to see it in person.  WHEN I GO TO LONON.  Eeep!!!  Mark your calendars: November.  I'll come back so European.  

3.  I've got what could be considered a mild obsession with thrift store china saucers and the thought of upcycling them never occurred to me.  This is an adorable idea but I maayyyy not go with the bug theme.  Not quite my style on account of my inability to see a bug without practically losing consciousness.  

4.  I've never done a juice cleanse but I am highly suspicious of all this "detoxing" people speak of.  The thing is, no one has ever named exactly what is being detoxed.   And it seems like most people are either all in or all out.  Love 'em or hate 'em.  It was nice to find an article with a balanced approach to it.  Stop the madness people!

5.  Ok yeah I'll take some of these Kahlua Crunch Bars please.  NOW.  (See how quickly I can forget about detoxing?)

6.  I have discovered what is possibly a major game changer.  The Perfumed Court is a website that sells high-end perfumes for prices that don't make me weep!  They decant those lovely expensive perfumes you never let yourself buy (but smell every time you enter the store and ask for samples for the millionth time) and sell them in smaller sizes for cheaper prices.  Being someone who can sometimes go from loving to hating a perfume with the flip of a switch, I'd prefer to have several selections in smaller sizes than one or two choices in full bottles.  The first one I'm eyeing up is Jo Malone's Pomegranate Noir.  It's sweet and slightly spicy and reminds me of cough syrup but in a really good way.  (Remind me to never describe perfume again).

What's making you happy this week?

An Hourglass Blush Dupe?

That is a very purposeful question mark in the blog title.  Being that I don't actually own any Hourglass blushes, I don't feel particularly qualified to declare something a dupe.  You better believe that I've swatched the blushes nearly every time I've entered a Sephora but I could never get past the $35 price tag.  

So as I was perusing the drugstore aisles one day (as I'm wont to do quite frequently), I noticed these Illuminating Face Powders by Milani.  They're actually not marketed as blushes (instead they're meant to be various highlighters), but I noticed what seemed like a striking resemblance to the Hourglass blushes.  They're sheeny and glowy but subtle.  They're not uber pigmented and I like that in a blush.  I tend to have a heavy hand with blush application (despite my best efforts to avoid it), so I consider these blushes especially easy to work with.   

My Husband's Beans

I've been meaning to write this post for months!  And it was supposed to have been called "My Boyfriend's Beans" because if alliteration is an option, you choose it.  Or maybe it chooses you.  Food for thought. 

Anyway, I never got around to it because #storyofmylife but I finally remembered to whip out my camera to capture the process, which happens about once a week in our house.  

And here's the thing, this recipe has nothing to it.  It's hardly a recipe at all.  But I LOVE these beans and I love that Eric makes them every time we eat them.  I don't even trust myself to make them.  So if you're curious, here's how we eat beans in my house.   

The Weekly Manicure #3: Essie Marshmallow

This week's manicure is Essie's Marshmallow and it's easily one of my favorite shades.  In the bottle it doesn't look like much but on the fingers it's the perfect compliment to my often pink-ish fingers, offsetting the pink tones a bit.  

In terms of opacity, it lacks the formula I'd prefer but I think I'll survive.  You can get very decent coverage with two coats but I often opt for three.  I like my white neutrals to be very opaque.  

What's on your fingers this week?